I know the more expensive ones are Remastered/Limmited Edition. But whats really the difference? Do they come with a special poster or something? Thanks
mine are all for $14.99, is it because they have bonus tracks? but that cant be because theyre the 'original copys' or something like that. So the cheap ones actually have more tracks
It depends which remasters you're talking about.
For $37.99 (I'm assuming that's US$), I'd imagine that's how much any of the 2001 or 2004 Japanese remastered CD's would cost, as imports.
Here in Canada, HMV sells the Japanese mini-vinyl replica remaster CD's for $45.99 + tax(!!!), and that's in CDN$.
And also, again depending which remasters, some might have bonus tracks.
I know the Hollywood Records 1991 remastered CD's from 1991, which normally are in the $14.99 range, have bonus tracks on most of them except for "Live Killers", "Live Magic", and "Innuendo" (actually, Innuendo was a new release back then, and Queen had signed up to HR by then, so Innuendo wasn't technically a remastered CD cos it was too new to be one)
Most of those bonus tracks from "Queen" until and including "Hot Space" are the 1991 bonus remixes, but not exclusively. The Works, AKOM and Miracle had extended mixes and (except for AKOM) b-sides.
The Japanese 2001 remasters use the same tracks as the UK discs, so AKOM and Miracle include the bonus CD tracks that originally came out with them when they were released on CD in the UK (and in US on the now hard-to-find Capitol CD releases).
The 2001 remaster of Greatest Hits also includes a unique edit of Teo Torriatte, if I am not mistaken. The 2004/2005(?) mini-vinyl CD remaster of "Live At Wembley '86", now re-titled "Live At Wembley Stadium", does not include the bonus tracks that appeared on the USA remaster which came out in 2003.
wow isnt that almost $1000? for all the Queen remastered CDs? But my question is what do they have in those cds? something extra? or just the title 'Remastered'?
Well, remastered as in remastered quality. (And whatever I mentioned in my last post as to which remasters have bonus tracks)
And take note that $37.99 is a lot for an imported CD. You're paying the store for its excessive import costs, and then some extra (since they get away with that for some reason, as some people will pay a LOT for special imports).
If you're ever wanting to get into buying remastered Queen CD's, the best ones to get, as far as analog remasters go, are the 2001 CD or 2004 mini-vinyl CD releases from Japan (which use the same remaster, audio-wise). The analogue remasters to get from those CD's would be from "Queen" to "Hot Space". Those are widely regarded to have THE best remastering jobs ever done on Queen releases.
I'd recommend getting them from CDJapan ( link ), as they're more reasonable than Best Buy, FutureShop, and/or HMV when it comes to import costs and prices.
For the digitally-recorded remastered albums ("The Works" to "The Miracle" and all afterwards), get the 1991 US Hollywood Records remasters, since the Japanese ones have a weird sound where there is a lot of bass and treble, but virtually no mid-range, tone-wise.